Eyeglasses include an eyewear front defining two slots for receiving at least one lens and a pair of temples each pivotally attached at a front end to a respective side of the eyewear front. To enable the eyeglasses to be held on the wearer's head, the temples are often designed such that when the temples are in the open head receiving arrangement, the distance between their unattached rear ends is less than the distance between that portion of the temples which is situated over the cars of the wearer. As such, the eyeglasses will not fall off of the wearer's head.
In view of this construction of the temples, the temples may be designed to enable their unattached rear ends to resiliently flex outward to enable them to be passed over the ears of the wearer. Thus, flexible or spring-action temples have been proposed.
One such spring-action temple is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,095 (Conway) and includes a forwardly opening L-shaped notch formed partially between inner and outer side surfaces adjacent a front attached end of the temple and having an opening to the outer side surface. A forward facing finger portion is formed between the notch and the outer side surface and a thinned wall section is formed between the notch and an inner side surface. During placement of the eyeglasses, the temples are forced laterally outward from their normally open position and flex at the thinned wall section with the tip of the finger portion approaching and then contacting a front surface defining the notch. The front surface of the notch thus serves as a stop for the outward flexible movement of the temples. Upon removal of the lateral force after the eyeglasses are on the wearer's head, the temples will return to their normal position.
A drawback of the temple of Conway is that the notch does not function well to enable the eyeglasses to be clipped to a garment or other object since it is forwardly opening and placed at the front end of the temple. Thus, if clipped to a garment, the bulk of the eyeglasses would be above the clip which would likely prevent adequate securement of the eyeglasses to the garment. It is also a drawback that the thinned wall section and finger portion are susceptible to breaking upon exertion of an excessive lateral force.
Another flexible temple is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,904,075 (Blumenthal) and includes a core, blocks arranged around the core and connecting elements located between the blocks. The blocks are movable about the connecting elements to thereby provide the temple with outward flexibility.
Another flexible temple is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,963,013 (Bononi) and includes notches formed around the periphery of the temple and which enable the temple to bend inward and outward.
Still another flexible temple is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,797 (Ichihashi et al) and includes a stretching spring member connecting a front portion of the temple to a rear portion of the temple.
The temples shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,904,075, 4,963,013 and 6,000,797 do not provide flexibility by means of a notch formed between inner and outer side surfaces which is constructed to limit the outward flexing movement of the temples as well as to serve as a clip.
Another way to provide flexibility to the temples is to reduce the cross-sectional area at a portion of the temple. Eyeglasses including temples with reduced cross-sectional areas are described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,705,229 (Welsh), U.S. Pat. No. 1,743,796 (Nelson), U.S. Pat. No. 3,944,344 (Wichers) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,026,640 (Everburg). In addition, temples having notches formed on an inner, head-engaging surface to thereby create temple sections thinner than a remaining portion of the temple include U.S. Pat. No. 3,582,194 (Liautaud) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,828,436 (Lester). None of the temples recited in the above-mentioned patents provide flexibility through the formation of a notch between inner and outer side surfaces which can also serve as a clip.
Clips for eyeglasses formed in connection with temples are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,779,015 (Schmidt) describes a temple with a clip formed integral therewith. The clip is formed at the front edge of the temple and extends rearward into contact with the outer surface of the temple. The temple includes a spring wire which extends along the length of the temple and into the clip and is surrounded by zylonite or another similar material. The formation of the clip does not increase the flexibility of the temples to ease their passage over the ears of the wearer.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,045,221 (Resendez, Sr.) describes a temple with a resilient clip attached thereto by rivets or screws (FIGS. 10-12). The temple includes a receiving slot formed on an outer surface and the clip fits into the receiving slot when not in use. The clip is secured in the receiving slot by the cooperation of a receptacle in the temple and a projection on the clip, which also serves to engage clothing when the temple is clipped to the clothing. The temple and clip are not formed as a single-piece. Since the clip is situated in the receiving slot when not in use, the formation of the clip is not designed to increase the flexibility of the temples to ease their passage over the ears of the wearer.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,017,120 (McCormick) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,343,859 (McCormick) describe clips for eyeglasses which are separate from the temple and attached to an outer surface of the temple by adhesive. The presence of the clip therefore does not increase the flexibility of the temples to case their passage over the ears of the wearer.
In sum, the prior art does not disclose a flexible temple which has a notch formed between inner and outer surfaces to provide the temple with limited outward flexibility while also serving conveniently as a clip.